Airshow performers

I don't have the money now but I am interested in buying a Super D in the near future, with in the next 4 years, and begin competing in Sportsman and intermediate aero competitions soon after. I am much more interested in flying at airshows than competition aero but I figured if I flew at Competitions it would bolster my resume and show me that I have what it takes. Once I learned all I could in the Super I would like to move to a Waco or a Pitts but I don't really know how to break into the circuit and getting hired to fly shows. I started this thread to connect to guys already flying shows and get some information and help on breaking into the niche.
 
Pilotforhire587 said:
I don't have the money now but I am interested in buying a Super D in the near future, with in the next 4 years, and begin competing in Sportsman and intermediate aero competitions soon after. I am much more interested in flying at airshows than competition aero but I figured if I flew at Competitions it would bolster my resume and show me that I have what it takes. Once I learned all I could in the Super I would like to move to a Waco or a Pitts but I don't really know how to break into the circuit and getting hired to fly shows. I started this thread to connect to guys already flying shows and get some information and help on breaking into the niche.
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Dont have time to look for the article right now but skip stewart did a whole story about how he got into it. Basically he spent $40,000 of his own money each year for three years before he got paid a dime. Gotta fly alot of airshows for free or next to nothing to establish yourself first.
 
The Super Decathlon is a very nice airplane. It's fun to fly without having to be too much work. After awhile you will be able to master your stick and rudder skills. Go enter into the competitions and get some time under your belt. You'll be surprised at what this airplane can do with a good pilot behind it.

First, watch this video of Greg Koontz flying the Super Decathlon. I was impressed at what this airplane with the right person behind it can do:

Fast forward to 2:10 for an awesome/ballsy takeoff.

[YT]w3GrDt73oBc[/YT]



Second, read this interview/article with Skip Stewart about his road to the top: My favorite and one of the best airshow performers on the stage today.

http://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/pilot.html


Unfortunately, it's a long hard road to the top. I'm interested and would really like to do it someday. But I have to get the Pitts finished and a nice paying job first and a lot more experience.... :D
 
I've done a few... All local stuff. I was sponsored by my home field for the ACE Card, insurance, & fuel. I have an aerobatic student who bought a Great Lakes who was letting me use it to fly Sportsman, so he was cool with letting me use it for a few local shows. It was a fun time, with great people. Shows are more fun than than contests. At a show when you land and taxi by everyone's waving & cheering. At a contest, you taxi up and wait for a piece of paper to tell you how bad you just flew! I did it mostly for the experience and pro-bono work credit while working on my MCFI-A.

Here's a video a friend of mine put together.
[video]http://www.airshowbuzz.com#ooid=11ZmUwMjowA7MeTE9vZbVPWg9 tjUjAWB[/video]

The wide angle of the go-pro makes it look like I'm up in the flight levels, but the sequence was between 1500 and 500 agl.
 
Inverted25 said:
Dont have time to look for the article right now but skip stewart did a whole story about how he got into it. Basically he spent $40,000 of his own money each year for three years before he got paid a dime. Gotta fly alot of airshows for free or next to nothing to establish yourself first.
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Doing it for free? That's worse than Gulfstream! Actually, it is kind of between Gulfstream and Great Lakes. Better get Jhugz onto this and perhaps get ALPA involved in organizing.
 
Thanks guys the Article on Skip was great. It help to see kinda what I am up against to get in. TwoTwo left... I never could find the video you were trying to link me too, it just to took me Airshowbuzz home page. Maybe in a few years a few of us will be performing together.
 
I have plans for a Pietenpol. I'd like to modify it a bit when I build and slip an AEIO-540 in it, and clip the wings. Then I can do a full unlimited routine in my modified Piet.
 
Dude I want to see that when you finish. That would be rediculously cool if you did it. I have to decide if I want to get an old Waco and hang a big 500 horse engine on the front, Better style and flashier; or go with a Pitts, learn how to work on the frame and do fabric and then just be the absolute best out there so I can get into shows with it, since everyone flies pitts.
 
Pilotforhire587 said:
Dude I want to see that when you finish. That would be rediculously cool if you did it. I have to decide if I want to get an old Waco and hang a big 500 horse engine on the front, Better style and flashier; or go with a Pitts, learn how to work on the frame and do fabric and then just be the absolute best out there so I can get into shows with it, since everyone flies pitts.
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Imma have a Waco Taperwing at some point. They were certified with everything from 250hp up to 450hp. The hottest Taperwings had Wright R975's with 440 hp, with one in St. Louis that was special built for racing putting out 500 plus (the Question Mark Taperwing). The Taperwing is a better aerobatic machine that the modified UPF and lighter and also certified for that much HP.
 
WacoFan said:
Imma have a Waco Taperwing at some point. They were certified with everything from 250hp up to 450hp. The hottest Taperwings had Wright R975's with 440 hp, with one in St. Louis that was special built for racing putting out 500 plus (the Question Mark Taperwing). The Taperwing is a better aerobatic machine that the modified UPF and lighter and also certified for that much HP.
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Yeah, But if you start to modify a UPF and put the bigger engine on it, like Kyle Franklin's before the crash it become experimental, meaning you can do all your own maint. I guess the down side would be that if you wanted to fly that in airshows any more than 600 miles away you have to truck it, or get a letter from your FSDO every time
 
Okie_Pilot said:
The Super Decathlon is a very nice airplane. It's fun to fly without having to be too much work. After awhile you will be able to master your stick and rudder skills. Go enter into the competitions and get some time under your belt. You'll be surprised at what this airplane can do with a good pilot behind it.

First, watch this video of Greg Koontz flying the Super Decathlon. I was impressed at what this airplane with the right person behind it can do:
Click to expand...

Just saw Greg perform this past weekend... one of my favorite and most entertaining acts he does:

[YT]P3-FKJYSx8Y[/YT]
 
Pilotforhire587 said:
Yeah, But if you start to modify a UPF and put the bigger engine on it, like Kyle Franklin's before the crash it become experimental, meaning you can do all your own maint. I guess the down side would be that if you wanted to fly that in airshows any more than 600 miles away you have to truck it, or get a letter from your FSDO every time
Click to expand...

You can homebuild a Taperwing - make a replica. That's exactly what I'd do and put the biggest small Wright (the R975) on it. It would be a superior machine.
 
Pilotforhire587 said:
Yeah, But if you start to modify a UPF and put the bigger engine on it, like Kyle Franklin's before the crash it become experimental, meaning you can do all your own maint. I guess the down side would be that if you wanted to fly that in airshows any more than 600 miles away you have to truck it, or get a letter from your FSDO every time
Click to expand...

I am confused as to why you would need a letter to take it over 600 miles
 
Okie_Pilot said:
Unfortunately, it's a long hard road to the top. I'm interested and would really like to do it someday. :D
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It is, but who says you "have to get to the top" to have fun at it or participate??

My friend and aerobatic instructor/mentor, who already flies shows, told me much the same that's already been mentioned above- fly competitions, etc.- but he also said that getting hired to fly a show is sometimes as simple as what kind of airplane you are bringing to the dance. For example, someone with P-51 Mustang will get hired in a heartbeat. (treading lightly now so as not to offend) whereas someone who wants to fly a Pitts at a show will have to bring a little more to the table since there are so many Pitts acts out there already. If you have something unique, it helps. Since not many people can afford a frickin' Mustang, that is what makes it hard to stand out and get established.

As a side note, Have you guys ever seen John Mohr's Stearman routine? Absolutley incredible as well.
 
azfsi60 said:
As a side note, Have you guys ever seen John Mohr's Stearman routine? Absolutley incredible as well.
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+1

For Mohr to do that in a stock 220 Stearman is amazing - probably more amazing to people who've flown stock Stearmans with the 220 Continental or 225 Lycoming. Duane Cole could make that Clipped T-craft do beautiful aerobatics on less horsepower than the guys flying clipped T-crafts today. BIG plus one for your post.
 
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